today's returning heroes can get their education, too. having co-chaired by intelligence advisory board he knows our armed forces collect, analyze, depend on good intelligence. chuck recognizes that american leadership is indispensable in a dangerous world. i saw this in our travel across the middle east. he understands that america stands strongest when we stand with allies and with friends. as a successful businessman, he also knows even as we make tough fiscal choices we have to do so wisely, guided by our strategy and keep our military the strongest fighting force the world has ever known. maybe most importantly, chuck knows that war is not a distraction. he understands that sending young americans to fight, bleed in the dirt, and mud, that's something we only do when it's absolutely necessary. my frame of reference, he has said, is geared towards the guy at the bottom, who is doing the fighting and the dying. with chuck, our troops will always know, just like sergeant hagel was there for his own brother, secretary hagel will be there for you. finally, chuck represents the bipartisa